Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-12-28
CONVENTION CALL.
A River Meeting TO be Held at Dubu-
que-The Aim, More Jealous Promo
tion and Care Of the Interests OF the
Upper Mississippi.


Upper Mississippi.
Mayor Blanding is in receipt of the
following call for river convention is
sued by the board of trade and city coun-
Gil of Dubuque:
THE improvement of the western
| waterways TO the fullest possible extent
upon comprehensive and permanent
plans, is a matter of the greatest impor-
lance to the commercial interests Of the
entire country; and is entitled in the
| highest degree to consideration from the
| national legislature The domestic COM
| merce affected is already one>half that of
the whole United States, and more than
six times greater than our foreign COM
merce.
Upon this vast commerce is being levied
year by year an enormous tax. by way of
increased freights, insurance, wrecks and
repairs, caused by sandbars, snags and
other obstacles to safe and easy naviga-
ton.
The upper Mississippi river is second
in importance to none other of the ives
tern waterways, but in the past it has
been neglected and little or no effort has
been made by those most interested, to
properly represent before congress the in
, terests and needs of this great national
highway, and as a result the
appropriations for lis improvement
have been insignificant when COM
. pared either with its importance oil
with other objects which do not possess
its merit, but which have not been me-
!, | elected by those most interested. While
l the extreme low water of the past two
e seasons has made successful navigation
of the upper Mississippi almost impossi'
BILE, it has also demonstrated beyond
question the great value of the improve.
ments already made by the government
II engineers with the small amount Of
= money at their disposal, and has showi
= concusively the necessity and impor
- lance of liberal appropriations in tn
3 future for continuing these Improvement
l. and making them permanent.
h 1t has therefore been deemed advisabl
70 to call a river convention to be held a
=, Dubuque, Iowa, Tuesday, Jan. II, 1885
- at 10 o'clock q. m, the objects of whic
IT will be to consider the condition of tn
y upper Mississippi river, to suggest plan
=. for making such permanent improve
III ments as will greatly reduce the diff1cu
ties of navigation, which is such an i'm
IS portant factor in sustaining the trade an
Is commercial prosperity of all river con
be munIcation, and to adopt suitable meas
n ures for presenting the needs of th
river to congress. that it may recei'
proper consideration in the future.
ED Assuming that you are favorable
the objects of this convention. and tn
you are wiling to contribute your i
30 telligence and abilities to promote
II success, it is especially requested til
a, you attend yourself, and that you ear
3 estly endeayor to have proper represent
> tive delegations sent by your Ct
council. board of trade and any 9th
business mems organization of your Gil
+ CHRIS A VoELKER,
! Mayor of the City of Dubuque
L CHI EIGHMEY,
% President Dubuque Board of Trade
a5 1t is expected that every city on
Is river between St. Louis and ST. P
~ will send delegates from their {
3 councils, boards OF trade or other bu
= ness mems organizations. and that
! of the steamboat owners, captains
- lumbermen of the upper river will
h II present